Overlooking a quaint roundabout on the North Delhi Ridge, with the Ashokan Pillar on one side and the Delhi University North Campus to the other, stands the Hindu Rao Hospital. The sprawling campus of the biggest hospital of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation has quite a few shards of history tucked away in various corners.As per the official version of the Hindu Rao Hospital, the main building of the hospital goes back to 1911. It was built by Sir Edward Cole Brook as a 16 bedded nursing home. However, other accounts of this structure, particularly those of noted author William Dalrymple have referred to the Hindu Rao House as a structure built by William Fraser in the early 19th century who also resided here. After his death in 1835, the house was acquired by Hindu Rao, a Maratha nobleman and brother in law of Maharaja Daulat Rao Scindia of Gwalior and the name has since stuck.
The house premises was turned into the British head quarters during the time of the 1957 Revolt, probably because of the vantage point that it offers, thanks to its elevation and thick green cover. Incidentally, this was also the spot where Timur the Lame camped and looted Delhi in 1398.
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